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Children's Fiction General

Seeds of Hope

A Prairie Story

by (author) Mary Harelkin Bishop

edited by Deana Driver

Publisher
DriverWorks Ink
Initial publish date
Sep 2008
Category
General, Values & Virtues
  • eBook

    ISBN
    9780987964380
    Publish Date
    Sep 2008
    List Price
    $7.98
  • Paperback / softback

    ISBN
    9780981039411
    Publish Date
    Sep 2008
    List Price
    $14.95

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Where to buy it

Recommended Age, Grade, and Reading Levels

  • Age: 8 to 18
  • Grade: 3 to 12

Description

In her sixth children’s novel, the author of the best-selling ‘Tunnels of Moose Jaw Adventures’ has come above ground to focus on the fields of rural Saskatchewan and 10-year-old Danny, who wants to be the next-generation farmer in his family. In Seeds of Hope, Mary Harelkin Bishop shares her love of the Canadian Prairies. Danny experiences not only the joys of life on a family farm but the sorrows of a drought, low crop prices and the worry of a farm in trouble. On top of that, the town bully won’t leave him alone. How can he protect himself and help his family?

About the authors

Awards

  • Commended, Finalist, Children's Literature, Saskatchewan Book Awards
  • Commended, Honourable Mention, Teenage/Young Adult, Nashville Book Festival
  • Commended, Honourable Mention, Teenage, London Book Festival

Contributor Notes

Mary Harelkin Bishop has lived in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan since she was 12 years old and considers herself a Prairie person. Writing has always been a very important aspect in her life. Mary began writing when she was nine years old and she hasn’t looked back! She cannot imagine life without writing. Her fifth book in the Moose Jaw Tunnels Series was published in October 2007 under the title: Next Stop – Chicago. Her first published book was Tunnels of Time: A Moose Jaw Adventure, followed by Tunnels of Terror: Another Moose Jaw Adventure; Tunnels of Treachery: A Third Moose Jaw Adventure in 2003, and Tunnels of Tyranny. Mary has had a few poems and a short story published in local publications as well. In her spare time she loves to spend time with her family and friends walking, biking and skiing. Reading and writing are her passions in life.

 

Excerpt: Seeds of Hope: A Prairie Story (by (author) Mary Harelkin Bishop; edited by Deana Driver)

Chapter One
“Hurry, Jade!” Danny Cameron urged his sister as
they raced down the gravel road on their bikes. His legs
pumped furiously as his feet slammed down on the
pedals. He was out of breath. His chest strained and his
throat was dry and sore. Fear gave him extra strength
but he stayed beside his little sister. He couldn’t leave
her to face the bullies alone.
“I’m coming,” Jade cried. Panic clenched her throat,
and her words came out high and squeaky. “Wait for
me!”
Gravel crunched under their spinning tires and sent
rocks flying into the ditch. Together, they turned down
the last gravel road before the approach to their farm.
Their land stretched out on either side and wheat,
short and spiky, waved in the wind. The farmhouse was
visible across the field. If only they could have gone
cross-country, it would have been so much shorter.
Frightened, Danny chanced a look over his shoulder.
Zach and the boys were fading back, their bikes gleaming in the bright sunlight. “Looks like they’re too
scared to come any closer,” Danny panted. He was glad
that he and Jade had seen them first, and had gotten
such a good head start. He didn’t know what would
have happened if those boys had caught up. Zach, the
school bully, had never liked Danny and it was
becoming a bigger problem, especially this summer.
Zach and his gang had begun to come farther out of
town and nearer to the farm, always looking for trouble.
“We’ll get you next time!” Zach’s voice echoed in the
distance. “You better watch out!”
Slowing their bikes, their breathing laboured, Danny
and Jade pedalled toward home. “I’m glad they’re gone,” Jade said angrily. “They’re so mean! I wish Mama and Papa would buy us a cellphone. Then we could call whenever Zach bothered us.”

Editorial Reviews

“Mary Harelkin Bishop's characters are refreshing in their honesty and resilience in the face of great odds which bring them to the brink of working off-farm to subsidize land that has been in the Cameron family for generations or face losing it. … Young readers will stay engaged by Bishop's prose alone which will hold their attention fully to the end.”

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